He stands up, looking for a second like he wants to punch me. Then he thinks better of it, and sits back down.
“Angel is a promising up-and-coming enterprise,” he mutters. “Their business goes back for generations in Colombia, and they’re quickly establishing a presence in the States. We want them on our side.”
“We don’t need anyone on our side. We’re Devil.”
“Devil wouldn’t be anything if we hadn’t gotten the loyalty of a whole host of people. Politicians, businessmen…”
“True,” I concede. “But all these people were already in positions of power. They could help us. What can Angel do for us, other than fuck us over?”
“It’s what theywon’tdo to us,” observes Vale. “Theywon’tbe our enemy, because they’re on a path to power, and we’ve hired them to do a job. So, they’re on our side. Loyalty.”
“Loyalty,” snorts Logan, taking a gulp of his own coffee. “Funny hearing that coming from you.”
This time Vale does throw a punch. But Logan moves aside just in time, and his fist meets air.
“Fuck you, man,” hisses Vale. “How dare you…?”
“We all know you’re just salivating to take over Devil. Stop fucking around.”
Vale faces him, his fists clenched at his sides. “I hope you know, Damien, that it isn’t true at all.”
“Alright, take it easy, boys,” I mutter, rubbing my temples. This is not a fight I feel like dealing with right now. “What we need to do is figure out consequences for Lazarus. I’m not saying let’s cut all ties to Angel. But Lazarus needs to go.”
“Fat chance,” snaps Logan. “Angel’s boss, Gabriel, would never allow that. Lazarus is his little brother.”
“Right.” I close my eyes. This is something I should know. This is something Idoknow, but the girl is too much of a distraction these days. She’s entered my life at the worst possible time. Right when everything we’ve built is hanging on by a thread. I should be keeping her at arms’ length.
But I can’t. Every stab of pain behind my eyes reminds me of her. “Any news on the rat?” I ask.
“Nothing,” says Logan. “Whoever it is must have protection. A lot of it. I’m starting to think Damien was right. Maybe Angel has been trying to screw us over from the beginning. That would explain the Cole mess-up, and the nanochip that somehow was never given to us.”
“That’s insane,” snaps Vale.
“Think of it,” insists Logan. “Angel was supposed to kill Cole. They do it in the most newsworthy way possible. Then they’re supposed to give us the nanochip. Next thing you know, the girl is stealing the perfume bottle where it’s supposedly hidden, and yet, it’s not anywhere on her.”
“A rat means someone on the inside,” I point out. “Even if Angel is screwing us over, they don’t have all the info the Feds have somehow gotten. Clearly someone in our inner circle is sharing information.”
“That’s right,” agrees Logan. “Someone here isn’t to be trusted.” He looks at Vale, who bristles under the insinuation.
“I hope you’re not suggesting…”
“Enough, both of you,” I order. “Once a Devil, always a Devil. Devil protects its own. If we can’t even put our faith in our mottoes, what chance do we have?”
Logan shrugs, grumbling under his breath.
As we all stand to return to our offices, I nod at Everest.
“Need to talk to you for a moment.”
He nods in surprise. I don’t usually keep him in the loop of important decisions. He knows he’s soft. But this isn’t related to an important decision. It’s related to her.
“You got your Monday visit last week, as promised,” I mutter, as we reach my office. “That was your one and only visit. If you made any plans with your work-out coach for today, cancel them.”
“What?”
He clearly wasn’t expecting that.
“No more going to see her or taking her to the workout room,” I reiterate. “I want her to stay in her apartment.”
